


Casualties and Survivors (ON HIATUS)

by chlochloebear



Category: Brett Yang - Fandom, Eddy Chen - Fandom, twoset violin
Genre: Angst, Comedy, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22461871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chlochloebear/pseuds/chlochloebear
Summary: He wasn't ready, she wasn't too. But fate was cruel and stubborn, and did not care about their personal wishes. And so their paths kept crossing, and their hearts kept yearning until it was all too much for them to handle.Will they mutually agree to take a leap of faith or will one be hailed as a casualty, and the other a survivor?
Relationships: Brett Yang/Original Character(s), Eddy Chen/Other(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Airport Lounges and Fidgeting Legs

The romanticisation of airports has made life more difficult for travellers. It has permitted such overwhelming, not to mention unnecessary, public display of affection that inconveniences those who just want to methodically get from one country to another. Case in point are the hipster lovers who refused to detach their lips from each other, causing quite a ruckus at the drop-off lane. The already noise-polluted terminal air got more chaotic as several cab drivers started honking and yelling expletives at the tanned brunette and her blond lover.

“These young people know no manners anymore, aist!” Mr. Yang expressed his irritation as he scratched the side of his head. Brett wanted to give a cheeky response but he caught himself in fear of being given a proper lecture. Showing your dad how sassy your mouth is on a terribly hot day is a formula for disaster, and Brett knew well enough not to further rile-up his dad when his Chinese accent has already come through. Besides, he was just 30 seconds away from getting out of his dad’s 1997 Toyota Corolla. Might as well keep his thoughts to himself.

“Bretty boy, where is Eddy, huh?” his dad asked as he parked the car on an open drop-off spot and turned on the hazard light. Brett unlocked the passenger’s seat and began collecting his things while responding “he’s probably near. He told me his mom wanted to personally see him leave, unlike the last time we went on tour.” Mr. Yang helped Brett carry his luggage to the curb and onto a trolley before giving his son a hug. 

“Now you go with my blessing. Be very good and kind, especially to Eddy. Call your mom from time to time, okay?”

“I will, dad. Thanks again for dropping me off. You should go back to the car before security decides to clamp your tire”

“Aist! I’m an old man, they should show respect!” Mr. Yang scratched the side of his head once more before going back to his car. Brett waved a final goodbye before he pushed his trolley towards the entrance. Once inside, Brett brought out his phone to check-up on Eddy.

“Bro, where you at? I’m already in line for security”

“Bro, please don’t kill me but I’m going to have to take the next flight out tomorrow morning. My sister went into labor five minutes after I left my house. We had to go back home to fetch her because no one else could drive her to the hospital. So now I’m here with Ma and we’re rushing to Queen Elizabeth’s” Eddy explained. 

“It’s been 9 months already!? Damn, I totally forgot that Belle was pregnant” Brett slapped himself in the forehead.

“Dude…how could you have forgotten? Have you seen her tummy? It’s like she swallowed Pluto just after NASA announced it’s no longer a planet” 

“I fucking heard that Eddy Chen!” Belle’s voice erupted in the background, prompting Brett to move his phone away from his ear. 

“I’m sorry” Brett heard Eddy whisper to his sister. “Just hang in there, we’re about 10 minutes away from the ER. Now shush”

“Anyway, bro, so yeah. I’m really sorry about this” Eddy said.

“No worries! Just be there for your sister. Also, tell Belle I said goodluck! Wait, is that the appropriate thing to say to someone who’s about to give birth?”

“I’m not really sure but I think that kinda works. Update me when you’ve landed, alright? Don’t have too much fun without me. Also, practice!” Eddy said before hanging up.

Brett gave a small chuckle as he pocketed his phone. Leave it to Eddy to still be roasting his sister while she’s already in labor. The man’s sense of humour and quick wit are truly remarkable, not to mention unparalleled. Even Brett recognises the indispensable role of Eddy’s creativity in the growth of their channel. He concedes that most of the comedic content in their videos are products of Eddy’s ingenuity. There’s never a dull moment when Eddy’s around, and that’s why Brett is slightly disappointed that he would have to fly solo in his trip to the States. Just thinking about the long hours of sitting down and getting arse cramps every hour or so is already enough to bring Brett to a state of despair. Country hopping is fun, going from one city to another is too, but the actual travel is what really takes a toll on Brett’s energy and mood. He hates every single minute of it, especially the long wait in the airport. There are always way too many people, way too much noise, and way too much walking to do. He’s a musician, for Pete’s sake. His physical activities are limited to five minute walks (usually less since he spends most of his time indoors anyway) and the occasional Lingling workouts that push him over the edge. Just getting through security was enough for him to break a sweat.

After passing through the first round of metal detectors and the x-ray machines, Brett proceeded to the check-in counter of Qantas. It was a long wait before his turn so he decided to check on the ticket sales of their tour. Only two performances in the last city in their itinerary have not sold out yet, but he’s positive that it will eventually. TwoSet’s popularity suddenly grew during the first two weeks of January which the pair did not really expect. The abrupt spike in the number of views per video, not to mention reaching 2 million subscribers much earlier than expected, made the duo ecstatic and grateful beyond words. But their growing fame was a double-edged sword for it meant more work for both of them. It didn’t help that Eddy made a promise to their fans that once the channel reached 2 million subs, Brett would drop his Tchaikovsky recording. And so he had less than a month to perfect the popular piece before he finally performed it during the livestream they did last February. More than a million of the Lingling wannabes from all over the world watched him play the same piece he performed during his debut in 2012. It was nerve wracking, but it was pretty exciting too. Performing for his fans have always brought Brett so much joy, and he will gladly do it until the time when he physically can’t anymore.

“Sir? Please” the voice of the ground stewardess urging Brett to come forward to the counter broke his stupor. 

“Sorry” Brett apologised as he handed his ticket. He was loading his luggage on the counter when he heard a pleading voice at the counter next to his. He decided to get a glimpse at the commotion, noting how disheveled and desperate the woman looked and how equally impatient the ground stewardess was becoming. Brett then abruptly withdrew his stare when he and the woman accidentally caught each other’s eyes. Brett continued to load his luggage so it won’t seem too obvious that he was eavesdropping. 

“I’ll take any open seat. Please” the woman begged. The fatigue in the woman’s voice was evident, and Brett could nothelp wondering if she was hungover or she just came from baby-sitting seven toddlers all at once. 

“I’m sorry, madame. But so far the flight is fully booked. If you want, there’s another plane coming in at noon. I can book that for you” the passenger service crew explained.

“No, no. That would be too late. But please, if ever an opening comes up, please do notify me. I’ll give you my number” the woman said as she started scribbling on the piece of paper that the lady behind the counter gave.

“Mr. Yang, here are your boarding pass and your luggage tag. By the way, you received an upgrade courtesy of the airlines. You can use the Business Class lounge while waiting for your flight” the lady smiled at him as she handed Brett everything he needed. _Upgrade?_ Brett thought to himself. _That’s weird, specially since the other lady just said the flight’s fully booked._

“That’s generous, thank you” Brett said gratefully. “Oh, by the way, my friend Eddy Chen was supposed to fly with me but he won’t be able to make it because of a family emergency” he added before leaving the counter. Brett internally cringed at what he just did. He knew for a fact that the airline could not possibly use that information. They had protocols to follow when it came to cancellations. Aside from that, it was a really random thing to do.

_Well, not random._ Brett thought. _You just wanted to help the panda-eyed woman without being to obvious._ _Damn she was tired. And damn, was I really obvious though._

Brett decided to shrug off that awkward incident by texting Eddy while he walked towards the lounge. He did not get any reply right away so he figured that his best friend was probably still attending to his sister. Upon arriving at the lounge and finding a spot to sit in, Brett decided to do some work. After he finished, he went to the bar to get something to drink and eat. He was munching on his crisps when he got a text from Eddy.

**Bro, update our fans. Was supposed to do it but I totally forgot. And I reckon they’re not really interested in seeing a bloody head emerge between my sister’s legs yeah?**

**Jfc Eddy, you could’ve spared me the mental image. But yeah, yeah. I’ll do it.**

Brett opened their instagram account and started going live. He once again thanked their fans for all the support they have shown, and then proceeded to update them about why Eddy was not with him at the moment. He was doing a mini Q&A when it was announced on the PA system that his flight is going to start boarding passengers in 15 minutes. Brett bid their fans goodbye, pocketed his phone, and left the bar to go back to where he sat before. He was ten steps away from his seat when he noticed that someone else was occupying the chair near the window. It was the same woman from the other counter, the one who was desperately pleading for a ticket.

_Lucky her._ _I guess she did get what she needed after all._ Brett muttered to himself as he sat himself in the sofa facing the woman. He placed his violin on his left and his carry-on luggage on the floor before bringing his eyes back to the girl near the window. She was holding a book open in front of her, though it appeared that she wasn’t really reading it. Her hazel eyes stared blankly at the pages of Sara Borjas’ _Heart Like A Window, Mouth Like A Cliff_ as she bit on her left thumb. 

_Is she nervous?_ Brett wondered as he continued observing her. 

He brought his eyes to her hair and noticed how it was haphazardly wrapped around a bun on top of her head, and it seemed like it would unravel itself at any moment. She was pale for a person who lived in Australia (summer is just about to end after all), but her cheeks had a little bit of red in them. 

_Is she ill? Has she just cried?_ Brett pondered. He continued staring at her as if she was a specimen in a laboratory.

Brett noticed that her right leg, which was crossed over her left, would not stop fidgeting. It would slow down from time to time but the shaking did not cease. Sometimes her free hand would slide down to her lap and she would start tapping it in sync with her fidgeting leg. There were instances when she’d bring her head up from her book and her eyes would almost lock with Brett’s, but he was quick enough to avert his stare whenever she was on the verge of moving her head. It was as if they were playing a game of hide and seek, except that no one was really seeking because only one was playing and he wasn’t even playing it well. He was just there, in plain sight, in open space, staring and ogling with no particular purpose. Just staring. And wondering. 

_Like a creep. Aist._ Brett huffed as he realised how wrong it was to be people watching. Well, not people watching in general. Just the one. More aptly put, person watching. _Or stalking_ he thought _if I’m going to be honest with myself._

Brett’s slow descent into his own thoughts was interrupted once again by the PA system. His flight number was called, and its passengers were informed that they were to board in Gate C7. Since Brett got an upgrade into business class, he had the privilege of being accommodated first. Not to mention not having to walk all the way to Gate C7 because the airline lounge had a direct jet bridge that connected to the Boeing 787-9 which would carry hundreds of passengers from Brisbane straight to New York. Brett collected his things and walked towards the airline staff who collected his boarding pass and assisted him to the plane. He was greeted by the plane crew once he entered, and was directed to his seat.

“Would you like me to put that away for you?” The stunning flight attendant gestured to his violin.

“Would it be possible for me to keep it on my side?” He asked.

“Of course, Sir. I’ll just fetch some straps to keep it in place. I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable” she smiled before leaving for the cabin.

Brett immediately took a selfie and posted it on instagram. He messaged Eddy about the upgrade and teased the latter of leaving the duo to become a soloist. Eddy immediately replied with a picture of him with tears in his eyes. This made Brett laugh but also feel a twinge of melancholy at the same time because bantering with his best mate was way better in person than doing it digitally. Moreover, Brett started engaging in creepy recreational activities because of Eddy’s absence, and it was so out of character for him that he gave an internal scream. 

_Thank god that’s over_ Brett told himself as he inhaled deeply and settled himself in the plush window seat. He sent last minute text messages to his friends and family before he turned off his phone.

“Excuse me sir, here are the straps for your violin” the flight attendant from earlier returned with a pair of 13 inch black straps which she handed to Brett. He gave a slight nod and mouthed a thank you while receiving the straps. He thenproceeded to secure his violin to the side. Brett was about to close his eyes when the woman from the lounge entered and stopped at the chair beside him. She whispered something to the flight attendant who was assisting her before she took her seat.

_Not again._ Brett muttered to himself as he once again stared intently at the woman. He couldn’t take his eyes off her and he did not know why. She wasn’t exactly a head turner, but she had this aura about her that piqued Brett’s curiosity. 

_Curiosity. That’s it, I’m curious. That’s exactly the reason why I can’t look away._ Brett thought.

There’s a story, surely there’s a story behind those tired hazel eyes. There must be because no one looked like that, like she carried the weight of the entire world on her shoulders, but at the same time radiate (but only minutely) a different, more positive energy. 

_Independence?_

Brett guessed. 

_Gratitude?_

_Fulfilment?_

_Success?_

It’s like he was playing charades with Eddy again, only this time the other person was a complete stranger and he can’t communicate, much more confirm, his guesses. He looked at her more intensely as he searched for more clues about the type of person that she was. First, he looked at her hands to check if she might have callouses similar to his. She had some, but it was on the wrong places. She was not a musician. Maybe she was a writer, or an architect. Brett was not able to come up with a proper conclusion as to her profession, but he decided that whatever she did had something to do with using her hands.

Second, he considered what she was wearing. She was just wearing tight jeans, black boots, and a plain knitted white sweater. She had no accessories nor any other apparel that would help her battle the weather once they land in New York.

_Unless she has one in her carry-on. But I highly doubt that._ Brett thought. He did not see her with any luggage at the check-in counter, nor in the lounge. She only had a big tote bag with her which she also declined to be placed in the overhead compartment. Brett inferred that this trip was a product of spontaneity, or panic. It really could go either way. But what was obvious was she did not plan this through.

Brett slowly lifted his sights up to study her face once more. But what happened next caused him to feel a rush of blood to his cheeks. She was staring at him. She saw him staring at him. And now their eyes were locked at each other and Brett did not know what to do.

_Fuck._


	2. G-forces and Gold Fishes

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

By now she was supposed to have been engaged to the person she called home for the past seven years. She was supposed to be with their family and friends celebrating another milestone in their relationship. She was supposed to be happy, ecstatic even, that he finally mustered up the courage to ask her to spend their lives together.

She wasn’t supposed to run.

But here she was, sitting in business class, having a stare down with some creep who kept ogling her. She raised an eyebrow at the Asian guy with glasses who sat on the seat next to hers. 

“Is there a problem?” She asked with a stern voice, causing the man to blush profusely.

“N-no…I’m sorry” he muttered as he averted his eyes.

She squinted her eyes at him before fishing her phone out of her bag. She held it for quite some time, deliberating whether she should turn it on or not. Surely there would be an overwhelming amount of phone calls, voice mails, and text messages. Her sudden exit warranted such harassment (nay, an explanation) and she knew it, but she could not do it right now.

Right now, she just wanted to rest her eyes and drink. A lot. Or at least just enough for her to lose consciousness for an hour or so. Or if it was possible, for the whole duration of the flight.

She dropped her phone back into her handbag before staring outside the window. Her view was limited given the fact that she had the aisle seat, and she wished she could see a little bit more. Being in airplanes isn’t exactly on the top of her “things that bring me joy” list especially since she’s quite claustrophobic. She shifted in her seat a couple of times to get a better glimpse of the commotion outside, being cautious not to bump the man to her left. 

“Ma’am, I’m sorry but I’ve already checked if there were still available window seats and there are none. Is there anything else I could do to make this trip more comfortable for you?” The flight attendant, who she talked to a while ago, explained. 

“Oh…that’s okay. Thank you for checking. Uhm, I’d like a glass of any wine you have please” she requested.

“Sure ma’am. I’ll bring you our selection later. We’re not allowed to serve drinks until the plane has taken off. I’ll be back” the stewardess gave a courteous smile before leaving to attend to other passengers.

She shifted in her seat once more, not finding the perfect position to relax. The space was big enough for her to stretch her whole body without accidentally hitting her seatmate, and the cushion of her seat had enough spring to it to beergonomic. There really wasn’t much reason for her to keep fidgeting, especially since she has literally been avoiding anything stressful for the past two hours. But despite her social media abstinence and self-inflicted isolation, she was still stressed. Hard. Stressed to the point of wanting to ask someone to whack her head with anything hard for her to pass out. 

_This is karma_. _No, this is guilt that’s eating me up. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but it feels right._

She closed her eyes as she tried to process the myriad of emotions she was currently feeling. At the very surface of it all was anger. She was livid at herself for taking the easy way out. She left without a word, without a care, and she did it in the most irresponsible way. She did not give _him_ a chance to talk. She did not give herself a chance to explain. She did not even stay long enough for everyone else to process what they had just witnessed. After saying no, she just ran and everything that came after that was a messy blur. Next thing she knew she had her passport in her hand, begging for a way out of the country. 

Second to anger was guilt. Boy, was she guilty. But for what? She didn’t know. Was it because she didn’t give _him_ the answer he wanted?

_You mean the answer he expected and he deserved?_ She winced at her own bluntness. Having a conversation with herself in the confines of her own mind was very disturbing, but she continued it anyway. It’s not as if she had anything better to do. And so she kept the questions coming.

Was she guilty because she strung him on for too long? But did she really? Wasn’t it the other way around? She did wait for seven long years for him to finally ask her when she was ready to settle down on their third year together. She dropped hints here and there, growing more and more impatient as years went by. And when they celebrated their seventh anniversary just three months ago, she almost took it upon herself to propose. So if there was someone who should be guilty here, it wasn’t her. It was _him._ She wanted this, and _he_ didn’t.

_Well he did ask earlier this morning, and you said no._ She screamed internally

So why was she guilty? 

“Do you want to switch seats?” A deep voice pulled her out of the trenches of her mind.

“Pardon?” She replied as she looked to her left.

“I…um, I was wondering if you would rather sit beside the window. I wouldn’t mind. It’s just that I heard you talking to the attendant a while ago” he responded. “But I have to keep my violin here though, so…less leg space for you I guess.”

“Sure you don’t mind?” She said as she bit her lip.

“Yeah. You don’t mind sharing space with my instrument?”

“I don’t”

“Okay then. It’s settled” he said as he smiled. They stood from their seat at the same time, almost bumping each other. They had a bit of an awkward moment while trying to manoeuvre their way around each other. When they finally succeeded in exchanging seats, the man extended his hand to her.

“I’m Brett, by the way” he said.

“Hello Brett. I’m Aria” she answered as she took his hand and shook it. They politely smiled at each other before going back to their own business.

After a few minutes, the attendant came back to give Aria the airline’s menu for alcoholic beverages.

“I’ll have a glass of your Pinot Noir please” Aria told the attendant. She then shifted in her seat to face Brett “do you want anything? My treat” she said.

“Oh, that’s very kind of you but no thank you. I’m not much of a drinker” he replied. She smiled back at him but at the back of her mind, she felt judged for her choice of beverage. She didn’t blame him though. After all, no one in their right mind would drink alcohol this early in the morning, unless they were alcoholic of course. But she chose to brush it off because she was already feeling way too many things all at once. Adding shame to the very long list of emotions she had to process isn’t something she wanted to do.

The attendant walked away with the menu in her hands. Just then, the pilot’s voice was heard through the sound system, informing the passengers that they were about to take off. After some last minute reminders about things to do in case of an emergency landing, the plane started taxiing in the runway. And finally, they were up in the air.

****

Brett has a weird ability of sensing people, of feeling a room. Sometimes it was advantageous, sometimes it wasn’t. Being sensitive comes handy for people who perform in front of a crowd for a living, but it can be quite crippling for those who find themselves in close proximity to a person who seemed like the physical manifestation of Pandora’s box. 

And that was how Brett felt at the moment. He was going absolutely mad because he could practically cut through the heaviness of Aria’s aura. It was getting annoying because he could not focus on practicing his fingering. He even tried to put on earphones and blasted Sarsate’s Navarra in maximum volume just to block out her energy, but even that did not help. And so he decided to try to figure her out. 

He turned his head to his left, pretending to look out the window while he was actually observing her. She was deep in thought, that much was evident, because no one looks at the clouds that long without getting bored. He also noticed that once a while, she’d furrow her eyebrows, bite her lower lip, and give an exasperated sigh. Sometimes she would close her eyes and look like she was in the brink of crying, but then the edges of her lips would suddenly slant upwards and Brett would feel a slight change in her aura. It drove him absolutely mad, but he continued what he was doing up until Aria talked.

“You know I can feel you ogling, right?” 

“And I can feel your full presence” Brett quickly responded. The moment he heard the words come out of his mouth, all the blood in his body went up to his face. 

_Jesus Christ, Brett._

“What? Is that some kind of pick-up line because that’s a bust, dude” Aria laughed menacingly, causing Brett to turn redder and feel hotter.

“What? No, no. I mean, it’s just” Brett struggled to explain. He scratched the back of his head and took a deep breath before trying to explain again “What I meant to say was I can feel what you’re feeling”

Aria raised an eyebrow.

“Aghhh… god! How do I say this?”

“You don’t” she said.

“Yeah, I know I shouldn’t have said anything. That was pretty stupid of me”

“Ahuh” she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“I should have just kept my mouth shut”

“But you’re still talking now”

“Wait, I’m trying to explain that I’m not a creep. And that I’m not hitting on you.”

“I don’t know if it’s obvious but you’re failing” she gave a half giggle. 

“I know” Brett sighed. “Can I try one more time though?” He said as he looked at her. “I promise I have a super normal, non-creepy explanation”

“This is the second time you’ve said the word creep”

“Because I’m not a creep and I want you to know that. And I’m not hitting on you.”

“Third” Aria held up three fingers as she looked at Brett with a slight glint of… _enjoyment?_ Brett thought.

“Hey wait a minute, you’re messing with me” he accused.

“You actually enjoy this” Brett continued. Now he felt more frustrated. He can’t believe that the woman who was sulking just minutes ago is now being cheeky and is using his frustration for her own amusement.

“I’m still waiting for an explanation” Aria tilted her head to the side. “Come on, mister. I don’t have all day to wait for you”

“Actually you do” he responded “but that’s besides the point”

“Smart-ass” he heard her whisper.

“Okay, wait. Alright, let me just compose myself and get my thoughts together” Brett said as he turned his back away from Aria. He took a couple of deep breaths before facing her once more.

“What I actually wanted to say a while ago was that I can feel the weight of your emotions. All of it. You have such a heavy aura and it’s really affecting my own mood, not to mention my focus. Every sigh you make pricks my chest like a needle. When your face does this––” Brett furrowed his eyebrows “ –– I feel your confusion. I can practically hear the wheels in your brain turning, like…like I’m inside it. And then suddenly, out of freaking nowhere you smile. It’s a small smile but it’s loaded with such positivity. And I can feel that too! That sudden change in your mood creates a weird feeling in my stomach. It’s messing with my brain! It’s like I’m in a roller coaster ride and you’re the g-force”

Brett closed his eyes as he tried catching his breath. He can’t believe that he gave such a lengthy speech, one that was unfiltered and candid, to a stranger. This could lead either to a conversation between them, or a really long and awkward flight.

He opened one eye first to see Aria’s reaction. She did not seem angry, nor appalled, nor offended. And so he opened both eyes and looked at her, waiting for a response.

“ENFP, right?” She said.

“Huh?”

“I mean your MBTI personality. You’re an ENFP, I reckon” she explained. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Well, yeah. I am. What does that have to do with anything?” He replied, confusion evident on his face. That was not the type of response he expected.

“You being an ENFP has to do with everything” she laughed. “Don’t you see? You’re sensitive to what I’m feeling because you’re an ENFP. It’s part of your trait, kind of like your super power”

_Super power?_ Brett thought. _Wow this conversation is getting somewhere and nowhere at the same time._

“Wait, wait sorry. I’m confusing you” she said. “I’m such a trainwreck right now I can’t respond appropriately”

And then she started laughing.

_This girl’s a wackjob._ Brett decided. 

“You look so confused it’s funny” she continued laughing for about a minute before her expression turned sour. And then she looked concerned.

“Oh god, oh god. Sorry. That’s what I should’ve said. That was the appropriate response, right?” She asked him. Brett winced. He could no longer keep track of what was happening.

“Okay let me try again” she said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again “I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to. I would explain more but I don’t want to bother you further. But to be fair, it’s not like I can control it. Okay that sounds a bit harsh. Wait, again. Let me start again”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to––” 

“No, no. Okay, I’m sorry. I sincerely apologise if I’m being such a pooper–”

“Pooper?” Brett tried to hold back a smile.

“Oh come on, you get what I mean. I could explain it more eloquently if I wasn’t such a trainwreck”

“That’s the second time you used the word trainwreck” Brett smiled deviously. Aria caught on the joke and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t do that” she said as she gave him a slight slap on his arm.

“Do what?” He replied while laughing.

“Counting the times I say trainwreck”

“But you did that to me first” Brett replied. “Also, that’s three times in a row”

“Touché” Aria nodded. “But still, stop it so I can continue apologising. I’m serious.”

Brett and Aria looked at each other. There was a moment of silence. And then they started laughing. They laughed for a good minute, their faces turning crimson from not being able to breathe properly. 

“We have to stop, I need oxygen” Aria said as he patted Brett’s arm. 

“You’re so red you look like your head is about to explode” Brett pointed at her face.

“You too! Seriously though, we have to stop. I’m losing air in my lungs I might pass out” 

“Fine. Let’s turn around so we can’t see each other’s face and start laughing again” Brett suggested. They bought shifted in their seats to look at the opposite direction. When they finally composed themselves, they went back to looking at each other.

“Wow, I needed that. This morning has just been too heavy for me” Aria sighed. “Thank you” she said sincerely.

“You’re welcome?” Brett responded, unsure what she was thanking him for exactly. 

“This is going to sound weird but what’s your name again?” Aria asked. Brett was taken aback. They’ve been talking to each other for quite some time now and apparently she didn’t know his name the whole time

“You’re like a goldfish. I literally just introduced myself to you”

“Yeah, like, thirty minutes ago”

“Exactly my point. It has only been thirty minutes. You’re not really helping yourself out here”

“I told you, my mind’s pretty much like mush right now. So please just tell me your name already” she pleaded.

“Fine. I’m Brett. Hello Aria!” Brett said, putting emphasis on her name to prove a point. 

“Such condescension” Aria replied jokingly “Hey again, Brett. Hey, your name rhymes with wet!” She said enthusiastically.

“You’re so random!” Brett screamed, earning himself a “shh” from another passenger. He mumbled an apology as his shoulders slumped in embarrassment. Aria taunted him by placing her pointing finger on her lips and shushing him.

“You’re so menacing” Brett said “I don’t know if I’m annoyed or amused”

“I’ll go with amused” Aria smiled.

Brett was enjoying himself. He didn’t expect this was what their conversation would lead to. The woman who’s laughing and joking with him now was a far cry from the woman who sulked so much her negative energy could have created its own black hole and swallowed the entire plane. Now he couldn’t help wondering if she was trying to mask what she’s actually feeling just to make Brett feel more comfortable. 

His mind went back to the analogy he made a while ago, but he realised that she wasn’t just the G-force. She was the whole damn roller coaster, and Brett was riding on the front cart blindfolded, unwilling and entrapped. He could not predict when the ups and downs of her emotions would happen; how deep the fall was going to be, how high the zenith was, how fast the change will be. It was exhausting yet exhilarating. It was such a nice way to pass the time.

“Why are you looking at me weird?” Aria’s voice brought him back to reality. “Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry”

“No, no. My mind just went blank for a sec” he reasoned. “Also, why are you so obsessed with apologies? You keep apologising even when there’s really nothing you should apologise for”

“Oh I do have a lot to apologise for” Brett heard her say under her breath.

_There it is. Another shift._ Brett told himself. He wracked his brain for something to say to remedy the situation. The best he could come up was a question.

“Didn’t you order wine?” Brett said. It was a dumb attempt at changing the conversation, but it seemed like it worked. 

“Oh yeah! That totally slipped my mind” Aria’s eyes lit up, and Brett once again felt the shift in her mood. He watched her look for the call button, press it, and wait for an attendant to approach.

“You seem too excited for a glass of wine” Brett joked.

“Ha! If only you knew why” Aria smiled. And once again, her mood faltered but this time, she recovered quickly.

“You know, this will be a long flight. You can tell me what’s been bothering you if you want. I’m a good listener” Brett offered. Aria looked at him intently. She seemed like she was considering opening up to him. Before she could say something, the flight attendant from earlier came to where they were seated with the glass of Pinot Noir that Aria requested.

“Here you go, ma’am. I’m sorry for the delay” she said with a smile. Aria thanked her before she left.

“Let me just–” Aria said before taking a sip on her glass. “Ahh…alcohol. Thank you Jesus for the gift of wine” Aria lifted her hands up in the air like she was praising the heavens. Brett couldn’t help laughing at such a ridiculous display of gratitude for a beverage. 

“You probably think I’m an alcoholic” Aria said as she took another sip.

“No, I think you’re a person who has a lot of things in her mind” Brett countered. “So again, I’m telling you, if you want to talk about it, you have me and my ears for the next––” Brett looked at his watch“––twenty hours, give or take”

“Twenty hours!? Holy crap, I didn’t think it would be that long” Aria almost choked on her drink. “I mean I’m not dumb. I know Brisbane is really far from New York but, Christ, I did not prepare myself for a twenty hour flight”

_Aha. I was right. She didn’t plan for this at all._ Brett gave himself a mental pat on the back for getting one guess right.

“You’re looking at me weird again” Aria stated.

“Sorry” Brett apologised. “Didn’t mean to. Although I think it’s just my face”

“Your face is pretty dead pan. It’s like you’re dead on the inside but not really” Aria said, taking another sip from her glass. Brett noticed that she has consumed at least half of her drink.

“You might want to slow down if you don’t want to get absolutely pissed” he warned.

“That’s the plan” she said as she raised her glass, urging Brett to give her an imagined toast. Then she took another sip. Brett shook his head while laughing.

“So let me get this straight, you didn’t plan a long flight but you did plan on getting drunk?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Mhhm” Aria nodded. “And I must say, this is the most expensive way of getting absolutely pissed that my brain has ever conjured. I do not recommend it” she said as she took another sip. Brett noted that colour was starting to show on her cheeks.

_Her story must be pretty bad._ Brett thought, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit of pity for her. _Maybe that’s why she doesn’t want to talk about it._ He figured. And so he decided not to push it. Brett let her change the subject. 

“How cold do you think it will be in New York?” She asked.

“Dude, it’s the middle of February. Don’t tell me you don’t have any winter clothes with you” Brett asked with a concerned tone.

“Nope. I told you, I’m just winging things” Aria responded. Brett noticed a slight hint of panic in her voice, but it was so subtle that he wasn’t even sure if it was real or it was just a product of his imagination. He thought that maybe he was merely projecting his own concern for Aria.

“I have a magic trick. Do you want to see?” Aria excitedly shifted in her seat to fully face Brett.

“Can I say no?” Brett asked, earning a frown from Aria. “Okay fine. Show me”

“I can make the wine of this glass disappear in two seconds” Aria smiled like a lunatic. It kinda scared Brett, and he was pretty sure he knew what the magic trick was, but he urged her to continue anyway.

“Are you ready? Drum roll please” Aria requested. Brett waited patiently for something to happen but she just stayed still.

“I said drum roll please” she said once more. Brett raised his eyebrow to show his confusion.

_Is she really expecting me to do a drum roll for her?_

“Dude, come on. Cooperate” Aria pouted. Brett was internally cringing at how juvenile the situation has become, but he did what he was told to do anyway.

_I’m such a push-over sometimes._ Brett sighed. He started doing drum roll sounds while beating his armchair with his two forefingers. This earned a smirk of satisfaction from Aria.

“Here we go” she said before gulping the entire glass of wine. When she finished, she held the glass high with one hand and started doing spirit fingers with the other.

“Amaaazing” Brett said sarcastically before laughing.

“Thank you, thank you” Aria said as she bowed. “Is that an encore I hear” she said.

“Yo, Aria. No. You honestly should slow down with the wine” Brett cautioned while taking the now empty glass away from her. He pushed the call button to get the attention of a flight attendant nearby. When she came, Brett handed her the wine glass.

“I’ll have one more, please” Aria said with a slight slur.

“No she won’t. Thank you” Brett countered. The flight attendant gave a concerned smile before leaving. Brett brought his attention back to Aria. She was no longer facing him. Her eyes were focused at her front, her lower lip being sabotaged by her teeth, and her right leg was fidgeting.

“Aria…, hey” Brett whispered. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not usually like this. This is childish behaviour. I’m sorry for being annoying. I just…” Aria took a long pause before continuing “I can’t go back to being alone with my thoughts. It’s just too much”

Brett nodded his head in understanding. For a while there he found Aria annoying to the point that he considered asking for a seat transfer. But just now, he was reminded of the fact that she was suffering. From what, he did not know, but he was certain she was in pain. He was certain that she was badly in need of a distraction.

“Tell you what, I’ll drink with you if you watch a movie with me first. If after we finish the movie you’re still up for it, drinks will be on me” he promised. 

“Really?” Aria looked at him.

“Really” Brett assured her. “Now go find a movie for us to watch”

Aria picked _Whiplash_ from the roster of movies available. He wasn’t really a fan of Jazz, in fact he loathed it, but he did not complain nor asked her to change it. He didn’t really fancy watching a movie that moment, but it would be a good distraction for her.

_But a pain in the ass for me_ he thought as he prepared his ears for more than an hour of sacrilegious music.


	3. EMERGENCY LANDINGS AND DIMSUM TREATS

_I’m frankly feeling nothing._

_Is that so?_

_Or it could be less than nothing._

_Good to know, so you agree?_

_That’s right._

_What a waste of lovely night._

Aria’s eyes opened with abruptness as loud trombone music filled her ears. 

_Where is that noise coming from?_ She thought.

Her lids felt heavy, her ears were ringing, and her neck was extremely sore. She closed her eyes once more in her attempt to go back to sleep. Maybe if she ignored the sensory overload she was currently experiencing, it will magically go away.

_Jesus Christ, what is that noise? Is that tap dancing I hear?_ She guessed. _What the hell is happening?_

She opened her eyes and saw Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling tap-dancing on the screen in front of her. She looked to her right and saw a man sleeping, his glasses slanted and his hair in disarray.

Aria’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to make sense of what was happening. The noise that was assaulting her eardrums was apparently coming from the movie that was playing, and the reason why it felt so loud was that she was wearing headphones. Upon realising this, she quickly took them off her head. The next thing she did was draw her attention back to the small screen in front.

_La La Land huh_ she mumbled to herself before turning the screen off. 

Aria stretched her arms over her head in an effort to relieve her muscles of the soreness. She looked to her right again to observe Brett who was softly snoring. She contemplated whether she should wake him or not. Upon seeing how peaceful he was in his sleep, she decided to leave him be.

Aria looked at her watch. It has only been 4 hours since their plane departed from Brisbane. She had 17 more hours of flight to endure before she could finally stretch her legs and smell the air of New York. 

She looked at Brett again to see if he has woken. She knew that five more minutes of silence would cause her mind to ruminate on her reckless behaviour once again and frankly, she was not in the right disposition to ponder any more than she did in the first hour of her fleeing. Her anxiety was already at its peak, and if not for the alcohol she consumed, she had probably thrown herself out of the plane. 

Aria exhaled loudly as she slumped back on her seat. She considered watching another movie but she realised that Brett was still wearing his headphones. If she turned the screen on, the sound might wake up her seatmate. And so, she let her mind wander to the conversation she and Brett had prior to them falling asleep. There wasn’t really anything notable about the topics they discussed. Mostly, he just gave constructive criticism about the movie they were watching. Through that though, Aria realised a few things about her new found friend.

First, he was a classical musician, a pure bred at that. He didn’t appreciate jazz, nor pop music. It’s not that he hated said genres, it’s just that his heart was loyal to the likes of Mozart, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. Second, he was passionate about music. He shared that he has been playing the violin ever since he was little. Although his mom also made him play the piano when he was young, Brett was more drawn to his current instrument. When he talked about his experiences in uni, and his stint with the orchestra, his eyes lit up. Lastly, Brett was actually talkative. This surprised Aria given that Brett’s default demeanour gave the impression that he was dead inside.

“Why are you smiling?” Brett’s voice startled Aria.

“Nothing. I was just thinking about your face. Goodmorning, sleepy head” she said as she jokingly nudged him. Brett scowled at first but eventually, he smiled at his friend.

“I’m hungry” he said as he took off his headphones.

“Didn’t you just eat, like–” Aria checked her watch “two hours ago?”

“Exactly my point. That was two hours ago. I need nourishment” he replied as he tapped his stomach. This made Aria laugh.

“You’re like a boy who just hit puberty”

“On the contrary, I’m more like an ageing dad”

Their conversation was interrupted by a strong turbulence. Then suddenly, the seatbelt light turned-on. A couple more equally strong turbulences occurred in the next five minutes, making the passengers gasp and panic. Then the captain’s voice was heard on the PA system.

“This is your captain speaking. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we would have an emergency landing in Taipei. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Please keep your seatbelts buckled and please remain in your seats. Thank you”

****

Brett and Aria sat beside each other at the lobby of the airport while they awaited for an announcement from the airline. Apparently, the plane they were on passed through a storm while they were at the air and debris was able to enter the engine which then caused problems. Hence their emergency landing.

Brett looked at Aria to check if she was feeling better. She was completely shook to the extent that Brett had to carry half of her weight when they descended the plane.

“Are you feeling any better? Do you want me to accompany you to the toilet?” He asked her as he rubbed her back.

“No, no. I’m fine. I just need to drink something. Do you mind?” She asked, her face still pale.

“Wait here. I’ll buy you something” Brett said as he left for the nearest store. He bought a bottle of water and a cracker for Aria. After which, he went back to their seat and urged her to hydrate and take a bite. While she was resting, Brett went to the airline counter to get an update.

“Did they say anything?” Aria asked as Brett walked up to her.

“Do you want the good news first or the bad news?” He asked.

“Bad news. Always” she responded.

“The bad news is we’re going to be stuck here for three hours. Well, that’s the minimum. We could be stuck here for longer, it really depends on how long it would take them to clean the engine and how long it would take the security personnel to give their go signal” he explained.

“Oh…okay. That’s not as bad as I thought” Aria responded before taking a sip of her water. “What’s the good news?”

“Well, they said we can go out of the airport and sightsee while waiting. They’ll just give us an update via email” Brett beamed. “Have I told you I’m Taiwanese? I know this place like the back of my hand. I can give you a tour if you’re up for it” Brett offered as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“As long as you don’t take me to tourist spots”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t plan on waiting for hours in line. I’m going to give you the experience of your life!” He said as he enthusiastically threw his hands in the air, earning a laugh from Aria.

“You’re so weird!” She responded. “Let’s go!” Aria linked her arm on Brett’s, and they started walking out of the airport.

****

“Jesus fucking Christ! It’s freezing!” Aria exclaimed as she shivered. Brett unlinked his arms from hers and took off his jacket.

“Well it’s the last week of February. It’s still winter here. Wear this” he said as he helped her put on his jacket.

“Thanks, Brett. But how about you? Aren’t you going to be cold?” She asked.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. I have layers. See?” He said as he lifted his sweater to reveal two undershirts. “Unlike you, I came prepared”

Aria rolled her eyes before she once again linked her arm with Brett’s “I told you, this was a spontaneous thing. So where are you taking me?”

“We’re going to get some food first. I’m so hungry! Also, some soup will help you warm up” Brett said as he led her into the taxi he hailed. Once they were settled inside the backseat, he gave instructions in Mandarin to the driver.

“When did you immigrate to Australia? You’re still so fluent in your native language” Aria asked.

“Between the ages 7 to 9. I don’t remember. Haha! But yeah, I was pretty young. But we still talk in Mandarin at home though so…yeah”

Both of them stayed silent as the cab went through the streets of Taipei. Aria kept her stare out the window, observing the snow-enveloped city. While she let her mind wander, Brett noticed that their arms were still linked. He also observed that every now and then, Aria would shiver.

“Are you still cold?” He asked.

“A bit. I wish I had gloves with me” she responded. Brett nodded and requested the driver to turn up the heat.

“Still cold?”

“Yeah…sorry. I think my hands are turning into ice” she said as she brought her palms to Brett’s face to prove her point. The contact made Brett flinch.

“Haha! Sorry!” Aria apologised while laughing. She then proceeded to pull the sleeves of the jacket she was wearing to cover her hands. She rubbed them together to warm them up a bit but her efforts were futile.

“Give me your hands” Brett said, urging her to place her palms on top of his. When she did, Brett rubbed them together then brought them near his mouth to blow on it. He then rubbed his and Aria’s hands again together before placing them on his chest. This seemed to do the trick. Aria slowly felt warmth travel to her hands, but it also seemed to affect her face. 

_Am I blushing?_ Aria thought. _What the heck._

Upon this realisation, Aria carefully retrieved her hands from Brett’s, making sure that he won’t notice the sudden awkwardness she felt.

“Better?” Brett asked, completely oblivious of the fact that Aria was blushing.

“Yup. Thanks again. What is it with you? You’re like a human heater” she quipped, attempting to conceal her embarrassment. 

Brett shrugged his shoulders “Biology, I guess. Or maybe it’s because I’m just hot like that” he laughed “kidding!”

_Yeah, you’re hot, you douche face._ Aria thought. She internally panicked at this realisation. It hasn’t been a full half a day since she left her should-have-been-fiancé and she’s already checking-out a guy. She shook her head to clear it from such disturbing thoughts.

“Are we still far from the place you’re taking me to?” She asked to distract herself from the bizarre thoughts that plagued her head.

“About three more blocks” he responded. Aria just gave a nod in response, then turned her body away from Brett to look out the window. She was suddenly overly aware of the presence of the man sitting beside her. She could hear him breathing, she could smell his cologne. Damn, she could even feel his body heat even though they were at least ten inches apart. 

“Aria, we’re here” Brett’s baritone voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to face Brett who was then handing cash to the driver. After which, he exited the cab and held out his hand to Aria to help her get out of the vehicle.

“Are you okay? Why is your face red?” Brett asked as they stood face to face with each other.

“Huh? What?” Aria cupped her cheeks with her hands. “I think it’s just the weather. Don’t mind me”

“Okay…” Brett gave her a skeptical look, but thankfully he didn’t push the topic. Instead, he offered his arm to Aria and asked “Let’s go?”

“Lead the way” she responded as she took his arm.

Brett led her into an alley that was lined with a variety of shops. She marvelled at assortment of trinkets that hung from every window that they passed by. There was one particular store that caught her eye. It was a small vintage shop that had a beautiful jade coloured fan encased in a glass cabinet displayed at the storefront. She was so enamoured with said artefact that she unconsciously let go of Brett’s arm and let her feet take her closer to the fan. Aria studied it closely, noting every elegant golden swirl that surrounded the pink embroidered flowers. Her eyes meticulously traced the blue and green strings that formed the wings of two butterflies.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Aria was once again startled by Brett’s deep voice. She was so taken with the fan in front of her that she didn’t notice that Brett has moved to her side.

“It’s breath taking. I’ve never seen anything like it before” she said responded without taking her eyes off the fan. Aria continued admiring every detail of the handicraft before her. She was vaguely aware of the conversation that was happening between Brett and an old man who was probably the owner of the store. After a few more minutes of ogling, Aria finally ripped her eyes away from the jade coloured fan and brought her attention back to Brett.

“Brett, I’m ready! Sorry for keeping you waiting. I easily get distracted” she explained.

“It’s okay. I had fun talking with the vendor anyway. Let’s go?” Brett once again held his arm out for Aria, which she readily took. They left the store and walked towards a quaint restaurant with a blinding neon red sign above its door. Aria noted how packed the restaurant was.

“Do you think they can still accommodate us? The place seems like it’s already full” she expressed her concern.

“Don’t worry, I’m friends with the auntie here. She always gives Eddy and I a table when we come visit” Brett smiled as he opened the door to let Aria inside. He then proceeded to the cash register to greet a woman who was busy reading the newspaper. Aria heard Brett call out what she presumed to be the woman’s name. She studied how the two interacted with each other. It really seemed like Brett and the lady knew each other well judging from how many times the woman with spectacles and a bob cut kissed Brett’s cheeks and pulled him into an embrace. After what seemed like an eternity of greetings in Mandarin, Brett looked at Aria and gestured for her to come over.

“Auntie, this is my friend Aria” Brett introduced the two to each other.

Aria smiled politely as she took the old lady’s hand “Nice to meet you”

“Nice meet you too” the woman responded in broken English. “You stay eat? Sit at table corner. I get you noodles also dumplings. Sit sit!” She said as she pulled Brett and Aria’s hands and led them to a vacant booth at the cornet of the room. She rather forcibly made them take their seats, and patted their heads before leaving for the kitchen.

“She’s quite a character, huh? Is she your aunt?” Aria asked Brett as she took off her jacket. It was relatively warm indoors, and she knew she was going to be served some soup so it wise to take off a layer of her clothing.

“No, it’s just an asian thing. All of the elders we know, we call them auntie or uncle. It’s a sign of respect, and it has something to do with our culture. We’re very communal, unlike the more individualistic values of the West” Brett explained as he took the water glasses that were served by a waiter to their table. He quickly thanked the server and then returned his attention back to Aria.

“Is this your first time in Taipei?” He asked.

“Not really. I had a business trip here a couple of years ago, but I didn’t get to see much because I had to work long hours. Imagine, I was already here but I mostly stayed inside the hotel. I think the only time I went out was when I craved McDonalds at 3 am” Aria cringed at the memory.

“I’m seriously trying my best not to judge you for not trying out the local cuisine” Brett smirked teasingly.

“Well try harder because I can still hear the judgment in your tone”

“What do you do for a living, anyway?”

“Guess” Aria challenged. Brett squinted his eyes at her, and then he suddenly took her hands and studied the tips of her fingers.

“You don’t have callouses on your fingertips so I’m guessing you’re not a musician. But you do have a spot of much harder skin here” Brett said as he traced his finger on the crook between her thumb and forefinger.

_This boy is completely oblivious to what his touch is doing to me right now_ Aria screamed internally. She didn’t understand why every time Brett would touch her she’d feel a jolt of _something_ rush through her skin. It made her feel warm and cold at the same time, and caused the hairs on her nape to stand. 

“Aria”

“What? Oh my God, sorry. I totally spaced out. What were you saying?”

“I asked if you’re a painter”

“Enggk! Wrong. You have two more guesses” Aria retracted her hands from Brett’s hold.

“Give me a clue then”

“I don’t want to” she teased.

“Fine” Brett pouted.

“Fine” Aria laughed. “Come on, don’t be such a baby. Guess” she urged him.

“If I guess correctly you’re going to buy me bubble tea” Brett proposed.

“Sure, but you only get one more chance to guess. If your guess is wrong, you have to buy me bubble tea” she countered.

“That’s not fair! You haven’t given me much to work with here” Brett complained as he scratched the back of his head.

“Dude, you studied my hands as if you were trying to get my prints or something. I think that’s enough of a clue”

“So you do use your hands quite a lot in your work, huh?”

Aria nodded. “And that’s the only clue you’ll get” she smirked. Aria was amused at how juvenile she and Brett were acting. She was twenty-seven years old, for Pete’s sake. The last memory she had playing a guessing game with someone was when she babysat her nephew. And that’s saying a lot considering her nephew was two years old. There was something about Brett that brought out her playful side. 

Brett was about to tell her his guess when the old lady came back with a tray of food on her hands. She carefully placed two bowls of noodles swimming in a hot dark broth in front of Aria and Brett. Next was three bamboo steamers which she opened to reveal different types of dim sum. Lastly she placed small ceramic tea cups on the table, and filled them to the brink with a golden liquid. 

“Eat good, okay?” She held up her thumbs, and flashed them a smile before going back to her place at the back of the cash register. 

“I’ll guess later. I’m so hungry I’m going to pass-out if I spend ten more seconds without shoving food down my throat” Brett said as he handed Aria her own pair of steel chopsticks before he dug into the bowl of noodles in front of him. Aria chuckled as she watched Brett eat with much gusto.

“You should slurp your soup before it gets cold” Brett instructed in between bites. “And also try some of these” he said as he placed a piece of shrimp dumpling on her plate. The two ate in comfortable silence, thoroughly enjoying their late lunch. Brett finished his food first. He then excused himself to go to the toilet. While Aria was alone, she decided to retrieve her phone from her bag and turned it on. Once the screen came alive, she immediately placed her phone on airplane mode to avoid any incoming calls and messages. She had barely managed to keep her sanity at bay, and she wasn’t going to give up now the temporary sense of peace she had just obtained. Replying to messages of concerned relatives would have to wait. For now, she just wanted to take mementos of the first spontaneous trip she has ever embarked on.

Aria had taken several pictures of the food she and Brett ate, and was in the process of framing a portion of the front part of the store when she noticed that Brett had already emerged from the toilet. But instead of going back to their booth, he made a beeline for the cashier, probably to settle their bill. Aria decided to take his picture without him knowing. She enjoyed witnessing yet again the interaction between the old lady and her new peer. 

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

_Thud._

Aria quickly placed her right hand on her chest.

_Thud. Thud. Thud._

She was palpitating.

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud._

The rhythm of her heart continued increasing in speed, and it went louder and louder as the seconds passed. She started to panic, thinking that she might be having a heart attack. She was so caught-up with monitoring her heartbeat that she didn’t realise Brett was already standing at her side.

“You ready to leave?” He said, his eyes crinkled on its side as he flashed her a huge smile. That smile. That damn smile.

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud._


	4. PHOTOGRAPHS AND FRONT POCKETS

Brett looked at Aria with concern in his eyes. She was standing still, phone held in one hand, while her left palm clutched her chest. Her face was white again; her eyes, big and bright, were staring directly at him.

“Aria?” He asked as he approached her “Are you feeling ill again?” He said as he extended his hand towards her. Just before his fingers grazed hers, Aria shook her head and let a smile form on her face.

“Yeah. Yeah. I think–” she stuttered. “My heart just…nevermind. I think it’s just residual anxiety” she explained.

“Are you sure? We can rest here for a while. I’m sure they won’t mind us staying for a little bit” Brett asked, to which Aria responded by shaking her head.

“Nah. I don’t want those people to loathe us” she said as she nudged her head towards the line of people outside the restaurant, impatience clearly visible on their faces. “Besides, walking would do some good for my tummy” Aria uttered as she stroked her stomach. “I’m so full!” 

“Alright then. Here, let me help you” Brett assisted Aria as she put on the jacket he lent her.

The two of them made their way outside, offering a last thank you and goodbye to the lady behind the cashier when they passed her. They talked as they walked a couple of blocks from where they ate, occasionally stopping for Aria to take quick photos. Sometimes she’d take a snap of a random store, a street sign that she found “interesting”, or an old dilapidated building. Sometimes she’d take pictures of pedestrians crossing the road, or street vendors who were busy cooking. And then there were times when she asked Brett to pose for her, and boy, those times were uncomfortable. 

At first they argued about it, because Brett wasn’t really fond of posing for the camera. Even if he and Eddy had done it so many times already for the promotion of their merchandise as well as for their tour posters, Brett still felt awkward about having to pose for anything or anyone. Much more for a woman who he had just met, and in the current context of their situation. It was just him and her, wandering around the city like tourists who got left behind by their group tour. 

But a more precise way of putting it is that they were strangers who randomly decided it would be wise to spend a ridiculous amount of time together. It was preposterous. It was absurd. It was unusual, even for him who had gone to dinners and fan-meets with people who he only met through the internet. Because what was unique about this situation was that it was only the two of them. No Eddy, no Ray, no Hillary, no cameras. It was just him and her. 

Together.

Alone.

Alone together, if that even makes sense. They were just two people who lived their respective lives until they were brought together by circumstance.

Brett and Aria were complete strangers. They didn’t even know each other’s last names and yet here they were, wandering the streets of an unfamiliar city (at least to her), not really caring about where their feet would take them. Though Brett did have in mind certain places he wanted her to see, there was no pressure nor sense of urgency to actually reach those destinations. They were taking things spontaneously and casually. 

Spontaneous. Like how they would randomly look at each other and burst out laughing because of some silly thing they witnessed. Orlike how one of them would sporadically share a memory or a trivia.

Casual. Like how Aria would link their arms together after taking a picture and before they would start walking again. Or like how Brett would ever so often check on his companion to see if the cold was still bothering her.

Brett’s mind held onto the idea that their situation was just that, spontaneous and casual. But somewhere deep within him, he knew that there was something about it that felt too intimate and too personal.

“It’s not like I’m going to post it anyway” Aria contended. “Come on, Brett. Please?”

“Okay first, if you’re not going to post it then why bother? Second, there are so many people here. Literally. Why can’t you just make them your subjects? You’ve been doing it for the past half hour” He contended.

“So do you want me to post them then?” Aria asked, flashing him a mischievous smirk.

“What!? No. You completely missed my point” he answered. “What I’m saying is my participation is not important”

“Of course it is! You’re the one who’s touring me around, remember?” She said. “Come on, please!”  


“What are you going to do with the photos anyway?” Brett asked as he let out an exasperated sigh. The woman standing in front of him changed demeanour—from being overly excited about practically anything she laid her eyes on, to being embarrassed and insecure. She kept her mouth shut for a couple of seconds, seemingly contemplating what her response would be.

“I want to keep them for a rainy day. I want to remember that the first time I did something so out of character, I wasn’t alone. I want to remember that I was with someone the first time I’ve actually explored a foreign city…someone who wasn’t an officemate or a client” Aria explained, a hint of melancholy evident in her tone. “I just want to remember” she whispered as she looked at him.

If Brett wasn’t convinced then, he was sure as hell convinced now. It’s not that he pitied her. She seemed too strong of a woman to be pitied by someone. Besides, Brett was certain Aria wouldn’t appreciate it if he acceded to her request out of feeling sorry for her. Aria’s words pulled on his heart strings for a different reason—empathy.

Truth be told, Brett has been feeling restless lately. The rise of TwoSet’s popularity caused quite a dent on his scheduled times for rest. They had appearances and performances booked left and right, and during their supposed down time, they were busy coming-up with ideas for videos and designs for merchandise. As such, he was always too preoccupied to actually relish the blessings that he had received in the past six months. More importantly, he realised it became increasingly difficult for him to make memories with the people he met and held dear. He would often just have vague recollections that seemed like Polaroid shots except they were taken with a 19th century camera. 

Aria’s honest explanation struck a chord in his heart, andat the same time it brought Brett clarity. The reason why he was drawn to her from the very start was that they were both struggling to break free from the demands of their everyday lives. To some extent, they were both just trying to place their feet back on solid ground; to regain some stability.

“How can I say no when you put it that way?” Brett sighed and smiled at Aria. “I have a condition though”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to ask for a talent fee” Aria raised her eyebrow at him.

“Haha! Of course not. I just want you to finally tell me what you do for a living” Brett laughed.

“You have to guess! That was the agreement! You’re not going to get a cop-out” she smiled. “Also, what’s with you and my profession? You just can’t let it go”

“You haven’t really given much, you know? So far, the only things I know about you are that you’re not prepared for this trip and you like jazz” Brett grimaced as he said the last word. “This” he moved his fingers between him and Aria “isn’t really safe. We’ve been together since this morning but I don’t even have an idea of what you do. What if you’re a murderer?”

Aria’s jaw dropped. “Do I seem like a criminal to you?” She said, pretending to be offended.

“I don’t know! You tell me!” Brett crossed his arms in front of his chest as he gave her a taunting look.

Aria feigned offence. “Okay first of all, I don’t like jazz that much. I just happen to like the movie.”

Brett rolled his eyes at her “defensive much?” He snickered.

“I am not!” Aria slapped his shoulder. “And so what if I happen to like it a bit?”

“Eew” Brett whispered.

“Brett, I swear to cow if you don’t keep that mouth shut,” Aria threatened.

“What?” Brett grimaced. “What are you going to do?” He teased her as he raised an eyebrow.

Aria pouted and crossed her arms. “You’re a child,” she said, earning a hearty laugh from Brett.

“I’m the child? I’m not the one who’s pouting” he countered in between chuckles. “Aww Aria, you’re so thin-skinned”

“I’m not!”

“Oh but you are!”

“Damn it, Brett. We never get to finish talking about anything!” She exclaimed before she lifted her phone and sneakily took a shot of Brett. “Ha!”

The click of the camera caught Brett’s attention, and made him cease laughing. He looked at Aria dead in the eye before quickly stealing the phone from her hand and inserting it into the front pocket of his jeans.

“Hey!” Aria contested. “Give me back my phone.”

“Aist, Aria. I’ll give it back to you when you behave” Brett said authoritatively. He was patronising her, and Aria caught on what he was doing.

“Give me back my phone, Brett” she said in a stern tone.

“No”

“Why not?”

“Because you keep taking pictures of me!”

“But you agreed!”

“Nu-nu-nu-nuh. I gave a condition. You haven’t fulfilled the condition yet so no picture taking” Brett maintained. He and Aria locked eyes, trying to intimidate the other into surrendering.

“Fine” Aria huffed under her breath. “I like jazz, but only a bit. I am NOT a killer, I’ve never actually been arrested before. Also, I’m an architect” she mumbled quickly, making sure that Brett wouldn’t be able to hear.

This tirade of hers was not left unnoticed. Brett flicked his finger on Aria’s forehead, earning a moan of pain from her. “Stop being cheeky, Aria” he demanded.

“I already told you what you wanted to hear. Give me my phone back” she demanded as she held out her hand.

“Nope” Brett quipped. “You only have two choices: either you satisfy your end of the deal or you try to steal your phone from me. I advise you not to pick the second one if you don’t want to be charged with sexual harassment”

“Is that a challenge, Brett?” Aria lifted an eyebrow and gave him a rascal smile.

“Don’t you dare” Brett warned as he held up his index finger. “Aria I’m telling you, your phone is really shoved in there deep”

“You brought this upon yourself, Brett” she said before she moved towards him, reaching for his front pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay, I know this is shorter than the usual so I apologize. I've been working on some other things the past few days and I kinda had to shelf this for a bit. Anyway, sorry again for this filler chapter. I promise I'll make the next one super long and interesting. Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not really good at writing descriptions for my works so please forgive me. Also, this is my first TwoSet fanfiction. I decided to start this after our boys got 2 million subs.


End file.
